Brereton Carbon Project 8

Brereton Carbon Project 8 is a soil carbon sequestration project located in the Mid North region of South Australia, approximately 10km northeast of the town of Gladstone and 30km inland from Port Pirie. Registered in December 2023, the project covers a project area of roughly 190 hectares. The surrounding region is a well-established agricultural hub known for mixed farming, primarily cereal cropping (wheat and barley) and sheep grazing.

The project operates under the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative, Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration using Measurement and Models) Methodology Determination 2021. This methodology rewards landholders for increasing soil organic carbon levels through changes in land management. Standard requirements involve baseline soil sampling to establish current carbon stocks, followed by the implementation of eligible activities, in this case, the application of synthetic or non-synthetic fertilizers to address nutrient deficiencies and a conversion to reduced or no-tillage practices.

Environmentally, the Gladstone and Crystal Brook region is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with an annual rainfall of approximately 400mm to 450mm. The landscape typically features fertile but fragile red-brown clay loams and calcareous soils, which are historically prone to erosion if over-tilled. By shifting to no-till practices, this project aims to stabilize the soil structure and enhance moisture retention, directly supporting the sequestration of carbon.

The project is facilitated by Agriprove, a prominent developer in the Australian soil carbon market. The numbering "Project 8" suggests this is part of a larger aggregation of projects on the Brereton family properties or within the same operational holding, allowing for a phased approach to baselining and crediting across different land parcels.